View this email in your browser

Spring 2023 Newsletter

Welcome Spring!

As we celebrate the Spring Equinox, our team at Concerned Friends has already begun planting seeds of change that we hope to harvest in the coming seasons. It has been without a doubt an extraordinary pleasure and privilege to be in a moment of building relationships and seeking out collaborations to support our work.

In the last few months, we have been experiencing an abundance of new opportunities. We have welcomed new members and donors, and eager volunteers have joined our Committees and Program Teams. Collaborating with organizations such as Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (ACE) and exploring possible partnerships, dialogue and representation with other aligned sector organizations and initiatives has generated a lot of renewed energy and commitment to our organizational mandate and the important work we do.

So what can you expect to see from Concerned Friends over the next season? We will have some news to share on a number of fronts including outcomes of our Wayfinding Team Project, a fun event to engage our supporters, an invitation to our AGM, ongoing direct advocacy opportunities and much more.

Spring is a beautiful reminder of how powerful change can be. Sending you all wishes for sunnier days and warmer temperatures.

Warmly,

Kristle

Kristle Calisto-Taveras
President, Concerned Friends Board of Directors

Our First Webinar

We were thrilled by the turnout at our Bill 7 educational webinar held on February 7. It was wonderful to see so many familiar and new faces join us for this important session. There were many excellent questions for our guest speaker Jane Meadus from the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly.

Bill 7 was passed into law in August 2022 with no meaningful public consultation. The Act enables the transfer of older and disabled patients from hospitals to long term care facilities not of their choosing and which may be located a far distance from family and friends.

If you missed the event, you can watch the replay HERE.

As an organization committed to positive systemic change that benefits current and future Long-Term Care residents in Ontario, we value your input and involvement in this work. We continue to welcome and receive valuable feedback, ideas and support from you. Please let us know what topics for future educational webinars might interest you by filling in this quick survey.

Call for those affected by Bill 7

Have you or a family member been impacted by Bill 7?

Bill 7 (More Beds, Better Care Act) put in place rules that allow hospitals and government officials to compel hospital patients into accepting admissions to long-term care homes they do not wish to spend their final days in. If patients do not agree, they may be required to pay $400 a day for every day they remain in the hospital. The home a patient may be pressured to accept could be a great distance from their family and community, and/or be one with a record of patient neglect and poor care.

If you are a patient, substitute decision-maker or have a family member or friend dealing with these new rules, please reach out to us via email at info@concernedfriends.ca or call us at 416.489.0146 (Answering Service) or 1.855.489.0146 (Toll-Free Answering Service).

Wayfinding Project Update

Last fall, we were honoured recipients of a project grant from the Ontario Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility. The project aimed to expand and bolster our Wayfinding Program which provides free phone and email support to those trying to navigate the Long-Term Care system. Thanks to this grant, we were able to increase our volunteer team to a total of 8 members, update our program manual, offer new training opportunities for volunteers, and conduct new outreach activities.

COVID in the House of Old

COVID in the House of Old is a unique art and storytelling initiative that currently lives online but will soon become a travelling show across Canada. The exhibit was created by Megan J. Davies (curator, writer, interviewer) with Hiroki Tanaka (artist, musician, digital creator) and Kohen Hammond (audio editor, podcast producer). The project brings stories from a national humanitarian crisis to Canadians and asks them to take action.

In October, the traveling exhibit will land in two locations in Toronto and Concerned Friends has been invited to participate and play a role. For now, while we await more news on the project, you can visit the online exhibit HERE.

Concerned Friends in the News

We were pleased to have a Letter to the Editor printed in the Globe & Mail on January 6, 2023.

The original article referenced in the letter was published in the Conversation and then shared as an Op-Ed via multiple mainstream media outlets including the Globe & Mail and Vancouver Sun. Here is that article.

Join Our Board

Concerned Friends currently has two director vacancies. As a director, you will join an active operational Board committed to advancing the health and well-being and enriching the experiences of those living in long-term care homes across Ontario. Established in 1980, Concerned Friends is a registered charity and has been active across Ontario communities. We are seeking Ontarians who have a strong sense of volunteerism, are looking to play a leadership role in the community we serve, and who have an active interest in the long-term care sector.

More details can be found at the links below:

Board Secretary – https://charityvillage.com/jobs/board-secretary-in-ontario-ca/

Director-at-Large – https://charityvillage.com/jobs/board-of-directors-director-at-large-in-ontario-ca/

Interested individuals can complete an application at HERE.

AGM Coming Soon!

If you attended our Annual General Meeting last fall, you learned that Concerned Friends adjusted its fiscal year to the calendar year, ending December 31st. Our fall AGM represented the closing out of the previous fiscal year and so our next AGM for the 9 months ending December 31, 2022 will be held in June, with subsequent AGM’s occurring every spring. Stay tuned for the date coming soon!

Our New Website

Concerned Friends has a new look! Check out our updated website.

March is “Make It Monthly”

Increase your impact this month with a monthly gift of $20 or more through CanadaHelps! All throughout the month of March, CanadaHelps will add a one-time $20 donation to our charity with your gift. See terms and conditions below. Visit our donation page here and choose “Donate Monthly.”

Terms & Conditions: Make It Monthly 2023 $20 Offer is valid for new scheduled monthly donations of a minimum of $20 per month beginning March 1st, 2023 at 12:01 AM Newfoundland Standard Time (NST) to March 31st, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). CanadaHelps will donate to a participating charity an additional $20 for each new monthly donation of $20 or more that is made three times before June 2, 2023, to a maximum aggregate amount of donations from CanadaHelps to all participating charities of $50,000 CAD. See full terms and conditions HERE.

Who We Are

Concerned Friends, a volunteer-run registered charity, is committed to advancing the health and well-being and enriching the experiences of those living in long- term care across Ontario. We envision a system where individuals living in long-term care homes have access to health and support services that best meet their diverse needs; where every person has a voice that is heard, and rights that are respected. Those being served feel safe, cared for, and part of a vibrant inclusive community.

For More Information

Sent by Carol Austin, Operations and Communications Coordinator, on behalf of Concerned Friends. Carol can be reached at info@concernedfriends.ca or leave her a voice message at 416-489-0146 or at 855-489-0146.

We are funded primarily by our generous members and donors.

Find out more about how you can help us by clicking on the button below.